Gordon Freireich: A thriving downtown York - in 1933

A map of center city York in 1933 shows just how dynamic the heart of the community was in that era.

Compiled in that year by the civil engineering firm of C.S. Davidson, the hand-lettered map captures the spirit of the area centered on Continental Square and bounded by Philadelphia, Duke, King and Beaver streets just short of 80 years ago.

The map identifies almost 200 commercial properties with a smattering of private residences in the four-block area.

Retired York businessman John Zimmerman shared the map with a group that was trying to identify buildings pictured on an old postcard of the first block of East Market Street. Of particular interest on the postcard was a building with a spire atop it. According to the map, it was the Polack Jewelry Store, now the site of the pocket park next to M&T Bank (former York Bank).

Just on the north side of that one block, the map identified (from Continental Square eastward):

What a variety of businesses in just one block. You can almost feel the pulse beat.

A spot check of the map shows other fascinating details of a bustling downtown area.

Along West Philadelphia Street, carved out of what is identified as the Warner Brothers' Strand Theatre, are spaces for seven businesses, including The York Sanitary Barber Shop, the Outlet Stout Shop Ladies Apparel, Liberty Meat Market and Coover's Drug Store.

Everything anyone would want was within a one-block walk from the center of town: from flowers, to furniture, to furs; from carpets, to coiffures, to cigars.

A number of the businesses were still in operation during the 1950s, what many people consider the golden age of downtown York in the pre-shopping center era.

Peoples Drug Store and the Western Union office were still on the southwest corner of Continental Square.

Newswanger's Shoes and Schaeffer's Cigar Store were across the street and Bear's Department Store and Whelan's Drug Store anchored the northwest corner.

The map is a wonderful slice of downtown York's past and an echo of life in a much different time.

Gordon Freireich is a former editor of the York Sunday News. Read his blog at yorkblog.com/yorkatheart. Email: gordon@newtongroup.com.